U21. Shakhtar vs Zorya: match preview

In the final round of the U21 Ukrainian League, the Pitmen will take on their Zorya Luhansk counterparts. We bring you the match preview

May 14, Shchaslyve, Knyazha Arena stadium, 16:00

Opponents

This match will not have any competition value for the rivals. Regardless of Sunday’s meeting, Shakhtar and Zorya will retain the second and sixth spot respectively. During the current season, the Luhansk team underwent major changes: first, the squad of Zorya reserve team was renewed completely after the match fixing scandal, and secondly, in March, the team of Volodymyr Mikitin relocated from Kremenchug to Zaporizhya. In the nine meetings of the spring part, Luhansk claimed three wins, drawing twice and suffering four defeats. In the past round, Zorya took on Vorskla and suddenly suffered a major defeat (0-3), conceding three goals before thirty minutes.

Miguel Cardoso’s team played unsuccessfully in the previous round, suffering an away defeat at Karpaty (1-3)

Before the match

Miguel Cardoso’s team also played unsuccessfully in the previous round, suffering an away defeat at Karpaty (1-3). The Pitmen scored an early goal, whenthe birthday boy Oleksandr Pikhalyonok netted one on his 19th birthday, but in between the 43rd and 50th minutes, the opponents scored three goals against Shakhtar. It happened despite sending off a Lviv player on 58 minutes. This defeat completely deprived Shakhtar of any chance to claim the top spot. In the closing round, Dynamo tied with Metalist (0-0), with Shakhtar currently being seven points adrift of the Kyiv side.

In the first round to hve been held on the synthetic turf in Kremenchuh, the Pitmen won 2-0

Match background

Over the entire history of U21 league, Shakhtar and Zorya met 18 times. On a half of the occasions, Donetsk claimed wins, drawing five times and losing four times, with the goal difference of 36-21 in favour of the Pitmen. In the first round to hve been held on the synthetic turf in Kremenchuh, the Pitmen won 2-0. In the end of the first half,Serhiy Horbunov opened the scoring, and shortly before the final whistle, the goal scorer was brought down in the penalty area, with Andriy Boryachuk securing the visitors’ lead.

Interesting facts

The league’s top scorer Andriy Boriachuk (20 goals) still has a chance of setting a new club record in terms of the number of goals scored in one season and at the same time to challenge the all-time U21 league record belonging to Oleksandr Aliyev (21 goals).

In the entire history U21 league, Shakhtar never lost to Zorya in the home games, claiming seven wins in nine meetings at the goal difference of 26-8.

The mentor of Zorya U21 Volodymyr Mikitin dedicated a part of his career to Shakhtar, for which the defender played back in 1998-2000.